Container capable of identifying the container being unauthorized opened

ABSTRACT

A container includes a box member and a lid. The box member has a first extending member, and the lid has a second extending member. The first extending member is connected to the second extending member initially, and a breaking portion is formed between the first extending member and the second extending member to disconnect the first extending member and the second extending member when the breaking portion is broken. The second extending member is above the first extending member when the lid is connected to the box member, and the first extending member has at least a portion uncovered by the second extending member.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to a container, and more particularly to acontainer, which is capable of identifying the container beingunauthorized opened.

2. Description of Related Art

In present days, plastic containers are widely used in storage ofvarious goods, such as food boxes, fruit boxes, Sushi boxes, electronicproduct containers. In order to prevent the containers from beingunauthorized opened, some containers are wrapped by bands which allowsuser to open the containers by breaking the bands.

However, the bands are not a good solution since the containers stillmay be opened and keep the bands unbroken. Furthermore, the bands raisethe cost of the containers, and some argue that the bands are hard tobreak and make the goods stored in the container unseen.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the above, the primary objective of the present invention isto provide a container, which is capable of identifying the containerbeing unauthorized opened and keeping an easy way to open the container.

In order to achieve the objective of the present invention, a containerincludes a box member and a lid. The box member has a first extendingmember, and the lid has a second extending member. The first extendingmember is connected to the second extending member initially, and abreaking portion is formed between the first extending member and thesecond extending member to disconnect the first extending member and thesecond extending member when the breaking portion is broken. The secondextending member is above the first extending member when the lid isconnected to the box member, and the first extending member has at leasta portion uncovered by the second extending member.

In an embodiment, the first extending member has a first connectingmember while the second extending member has a second connecting member;the first connecting member is connected to the second connectingmember, and the breaking portion is formed between the first connectingmember and the second connecting member.

In an embodiment, the box member has a gap to receive a portion of thesecond extending member when the lid is connected to the box member.

In an embodiment, the breaking portion has a tear-off line, and thetear-off line is bent when the lid is connected to the box member.

In an embodiment, the breaking portion has two tear-off lines, and thetear-off lines are bent respectively when the lid is connected to thebox member.

In an embodiment, the breaking portion has a winding tear-off line, andthe tear-off line is bent when the lid is connected to the box member.

In an embodiment, the first extending member is provided with a firstfriction structure and the second extending member is provided with asecond friction structure.

In an embodiment, the box member is provided with a holding portionwhile the lid is provided with an engaging portion; the engaging portionengages the holding portion in interference fit when the lid isconnected to the box member.

In an embodiment, the holding portion has a stairs-like structure, andthe engaging portion is complementary to the stairs-like structure ofthe holding portion.

In an embodiment, the box member has a protrusion at a top thereof; thelid has an edge portion; the edge portion is lower than a top of theprotrusion and surrounded by the protrusion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be best understood by referring to thefollowing detailed description of some illustrative embodiments inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of thepresent invention, showing the lid being opened;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the first preferred embodimentof the present invention, showing the lid being opened;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the first preferred embodiment of thepresent invention, showing the lid be closed;

FIG. 4 is a top view of the first preferred embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the first preferred embodimentof the present invention, showing the breaking line being broken;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of a second preferred embodimentof the present invention, showing the lid being opened;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of a second preferred embodimentof the present invention, showing the lid being closed;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged perspective view of a third preferred embodimentof the present invention; and

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a fourth preferred embodiment of thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows a container of the first preferred embodiment of thepresent invention includes a box member 12 and a lid 14, and the lid 14is detachably connected to the box member 12. The box member 12 is arectangular box in the present embodiment, however, it may be round,triangular, or any other shape. The box member 12 has a receiving room16 with an opening 18 at a top thereof. The box member 12 has a bottomwall 20 and an annular sidewall vertically projected from edges of thebottom wall 20. The sidewall has a holding portion 22, which has astairs-like structure, and a protrusion 24, which is projected from atop side of the holding portion 18. The protrusion 24 surrounds a topend of the sidewall of the box member 12. The protrusion 24 is aC-shaped member to form a gap 26 between ends of the protrusion 24.

The lid 14 is connected to the box member 12 to close the receiving room16. The lid 14 is rectangular to be complementary to the box member 12.The lid 14 has an annular engaging portion 32, which has a stairs-likestructure complementary to the holding portion 22 of the box member 12,and an edge portion 34 projected from an outer end of the engagingportion 32.

As shown in FIG. 2, a first extending member 38 is projected from anouter end of the protrusion 24 of the box member 12 and corresponding tothe gap 26. The first extending member 38 has a first outer edge 42 anda first inner edge 44. The first inner edge 44 is connected to the boxmember 12, and the first outer edge 42 is opposite to the first inneredge 44. A first connecting member 46, which is strip-like member, hasan end connected to the first outer edge 42 of the first extendingmember 38.

A second extending member 40 is projected from the edge portion 34 ofthe lid 14. The second extending member 40 has a second outer edge 48and a second inner edge 50. The second inner edge 50 is connected to thebox member 12, and the second outer edge 48 is opposite to the secondinner edge 50. A second connecting member 52, which is strip-likemember, has an end connected to the second outer edge 48 of the secondextending member 40. The first connecting member 46 is connected to thesecond extending member 52, and a breaking portion 54 is formed on aboundary of the first and the second connecting members 46, 52. In thepresent embodiment, the breaking portion 54 is a straight tear-off line,which allows user to exert his/her strength on the first and the secondconnecting members 46, 52 to disconnect them easily.

In the present embodiment, the container 10 is made by injectionmolding, so that the box member 12, the lid 14, the first extendingmember 38 and the second extending member 40 are made into a singlemember.

The first extending member 38 is provided with a first frictionstructure 56, which has plural strip-like protrusions, and the secondextending member 40 is provided with a second friction structure 58,which has plural strip-like protrusions as well. The first and thefriction structures 56, 58 help people to firmly hold the first and thesecond connecting members 46, 52.

As shown in FIG. 3, the engaging portion 32 of the lid 14 engages theholding portion 22 of the box member 12 in interference fit when the lid14 is connected to the box member 12 to close the receiving room 16.Under such status, the edge portion 34 of the lid 14 is lower than a top28 of the protrusion 24 of the box member 12 and surrounded by theprotrusion 24. As a result, the edge portion 34 of the lid 14 is almostimpossible to be hold by hands.

As shown in FIG. 4, the breaking portion 54 is bent and the secondextending member 40 has a portion received in the gap 26 when the lid 14covers the box member 12. At this time, the second extending member 40is above the first extending member 38 and separated from the firstextending member 38. Furthermore, the second extending member 40 coversonly a portion of the first extending member 38. In other words, thefirst extending member 38 has at least a portion uncovered by the secondextending member 40. The misalignment of the first and the secondextending members 38, 40 allows user to hold them firmly and easily.Furthermore, both the first and the second extending members 38, 40 havecurved edges to protect the user from being cut by the edges.

As shown in FIG. 5, when user pulls the first and the second extendingmembers 38, 40 in opposite directions, the breaking portion 54 will bebroken to disconnect the first and the second connecting members 46, 52.When the user continuously pulls the second extending member 40upwardly, the lid 14 will be removed from the box member 12, and thecontainer 10 of the first preferred embodiment of the present inventionis opened.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show a container of the second preferred embodiment of thepresent invention, which is basically the same as the container 10 ofthe first preferred embodiment, except that the breaking portion 54 hastwo parallel and separated tear-off lines.

FIG. 8 shows a container of the third preferred embodiment of thepresent invention, which is basically the same as the container 10 ofthe first preferred embodiment, except that the breaking portion 54 hasa winding tear-off line.

FIG. 9 shows a container of the fourth preferred embodiment of thepresent invention, which is basically the same as the container 10 ofthe first preferred embodiment, except that the box member 12 and thelid 14 are round. The first and the second extending members 38, 40 areprojected from the box member 12 and the lid 14 respectively andconnected to each other through the breaking portion 54.

In conclusion, user may check the breaking portion 54 to identify thecontainer is unauthorized opened or not. In addition, the misalignmentof the first and the second extending members 38, 40 allows user to holdthem firmly and easily.

It must be pointed out that the embodiments described above are onlysome preferred embodiments of the present invention. All equivalentstructures which employ the concepts disclosed in this specification andthe appended claims should fall within the scope of the presentinvention.

1. A container, comprising: a box member having a first extendingmember; and a lid detachably connected to the box member, having asecond extending member; wherein the first extending member is connectedto the second extending member initially, and a breaking portion isformed between the first extending member and the second extendingmember to disconnect the first extending member and the second extendingmember when the breaking portion is broken; wherein the second extendingmember is above the first extending member when the lid is connected tothe box member, and the first extending member has at least a portionuncovered by the second extending member; wherein the box member furtherhas a first connecting member while the lid further has a secondconnecting member; the first connecting member is projected from thefirst extending member, and the second connecting member is projectedfrom the second extending member; the first connecting member isconnected to the second connecting member, and the breaking portion isformed between the first connecting member and the second connectingmember; wherein the first connecting member has no part directlyconnected to the box member, and the second connecting member has nopart directly connected to the lid.
 2. (canceled)
 3. The container ofclaim 1, wherein the box member has a gap to receive a portion of thesecond extending member when the lid is connected to the box member. 4.The container of claim 1, wherein the breaking portion has a tear-offline, and the tear-off line is bent when the lid is connected to the boxmember.
 5. The container of claim 1, wherein the breaking portion hastwo tear-off lines, and the tear-off lines are bent respectively whenthe lid is connected to the box member.
 6. The container of claim 1,wherein the breaking portion has a winding tear-off line, and thetear-off line is bent when the lid is connected to the box member. 7.The container of claim 1, wherein the first extending member is providedwith a first friction structure and the second extending member isprovided with a second friction structure.
 8. The container of claim 1,wherein the box member is provided with a holding portion while the lidis provided with an engaging portion; the engaging portion engages theholding portion in interference fit when the lid is connected to the boxmember.
 9. The container of claim 8, wherein the holding portion has astairs-like structure, and the engaging portion is complementary to thestairs-like structure of the holding portion.
 10. The container of claim1, wherein the box member has a protrusion at a top thereof; the lid hasan edge portion; the edge portion is lower than the top of theprotrusion and surrounded by the protrusion.